BOISE, Idaho — As the price of crude oil rises nationwide, Idahoans are seeing the changes translate to pumps across the Gem State. According to AAA, the average price for regular gas in Idaho jumped by 9 cents overnight between Thursday and Friday.
In the same short time frame, the average price for regular gas also increased by 11 cents across the United States. On Monday, Feb. 28, the price for regular gas in the U.S. sat at an average of $3.61. The price rose 23 cents up to an average of $3.84 as of Thursday morning.
"When crude oil was in the $90-per-barrel range, low fuel demand made Idaho one of the last holdouts as gas prices started climbing," AAA Idaho spokesman Matthew Conde said. "But with the price of crude oil now over $110 per barrel and travel demand slowly ramping up, our state is following the awful trend that's taking place nationwide."
In the Gem State, the average price of regular gas is $3.71 on Thursday, slightly lower than the current U.S. average. At the start of the week, Idaho's average sat at $3.54 -- an increase of 17 cents from Monday to Thursday.
Idaho and the U.S. average per-gallon price has not reached $4 since the summer of 2008. According to AAA's news release, the nationwide average of $3.84 for regular gas is the highest since March of 2021.
Thursday's average of $3.71 is the most expensive price for regular gas in Idaho since November of 2021.
"Escalating violence in Ukraine is stoking market uncertainty, and crude oil is extremely volatile right now," Conde said. "Unfortunately, we probably haven't seen the worst of it. With a potential ban on crude oil imports from Russia, the upcoming switch to more-expensive summer-blend fuel, and growing gasoline demand to kick off the spring driving season, there could be plenty to frown about as we stop to fill up over the coming weeks and months."
A list of average prices for regular gas in multiple Idaho cities as of Thursday is included below, provided by AAA:
- Boise - $3.80 ($3.61 on Feb. 28)
- Coeur d'Alene - $3.58 ($3.36 on Feb. 28)
- Franklin - $3.59 ($3.37 on Feb. 28)
- Idaho Falls - $3.53 ($3.41 on Feb. 28)
- Lewiston - $3.68 ($3.40 on Feb. 28)
- Pocatello - $3.64 ($3.49 on Feb. 28)
- Twin Falls - $3.78 ($3.62 on Feb. 28)
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